1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for processing filter tow material for the production of filters for rod-shaped smoking articles such as cigarettes. The device comprises filter tow delivery means for supplying at least two filter tow strips, at least two tow guideways for transporting respectively one filter tow strip in each tow guideway, and apparatuses for processing the filter tow strips. The invention furthermore relates to a machine for producing filters for rod-shaped smoking articles such as cigarettes with the aid of said machine, as well as to an apparatus for wrapping the filter tow material with a wrapping material and an adhesive applicator for gluing together the wrapping material.
2. Related Art
A device of this type is known, for example, from reference DE 42 09 789 A1 or reference DE 43 08 093 A1. These known devices are used for producing filter rods with the dual-rod method. In the process, filter tow strips (e.g. of cellulose acetate fibers) are pulled from a bale, are processed by drawing and treating them with a plasticizer, and are transferred for further processing to a continuous filter-rod unit once the desired shape and consistency is reached. This unit produces a continuous filter rod by wrapping the processed filter-tow strip with a wrapping material ribbon, wherein the continuous filter rod is then cut into individual filter-rod sections for cigarettes or other rod-shaped smoking articles.